The second GOTS seminar was held on September 08, 2019 in Dhaka. The theme of the seminar was ‘Connecting for Success.’ It was attended by around 330 participants from six countries, who congregated for fruitful discussions on sustainability and organic textiles. These included representatives from different stages of the manufacturing industry like spinning, knitting, wet processing, garmenting as well as buying houses, international brands, certification bodies, testing laboratories, media, and academics.

Session 1 of the seminar was titled ‘Connecting Sustainable Retail: Stories from Fashion Industry’. It was moderated by Claudia Kersten, Managing Director of GOTS. Bruno Van Sieleghem from Stanley/Stella, Belgium and Jan Moritz from Julius Huepeden GmbH, Germany participated as speakers. The session revealed success stories from brands, market trends, and data about GOTS. Both brands reaffirmed their commitment to sustainability and buying GOTS certified products.

Session 2 named ‘Technical Criteria and Implementation’ was moderated by Rahul Bhajekar, Managing Director, GOTS, who was also the session speaker. Sumit Gupta, GOTS Deputy Director Standards Development & Quality Assurance and Prachi Gupta, GOTS Expert, Quality Assurance & Impact, shared their expertise as speakers and talked about important technical topics like GMO Testing and GOTS technical criteria.

Besides, the speakers explained the existing software tool for Certified Entities the ‘GOTS Monitor (Water/Energy), and the ‘Central Database System’

Sohail Pasha has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA).

Hailing from a famous, prominent and successful business family, Pasha is an active member of the renowned business network Riaz Enterprises. He has earned a good name and a fame in exports, business and industry. He holds rich practical experience of 25 years as a professional management executive. He serves on the board of many charitable, health and educational institutions contributing to society. Faisal Nisar and Haris Yousaf are senior vice chairman and vice chairman.

The hope is that the new PTEA team would make its utmost efforts to meet the upcoming challenges and strive for an enabling environment to restore viability and growth of the textile industry and turn Pakistan into a destination for outsourcing of textile businesses. Serious efforts, strong lobbying, tangible initiatives and out of the box solutions are necessary to keep the textile industry operational.

Pakistan’s textile industry is a major contributor to the national economy. The country is taking all steps to attract foreign and domestic investment and revive sick units in the textile sector. The installed capacity of the manufacturing sector will be increased to enhance competitive import substitution, export enhancement, employment generation and revenue generation.

Riri Group, a leading brand in the zip and button manufacturing sector for high couture and outdoor apparel, will launch its new Fall/Winter 2020-21 collection at the Première Vision Paris from September 07 – 19, 2019.

The new collection is inspired by winter landscapes and polar tones. It features shades of grey, azure and white that remind of the typical tones of ice. Its dominant presence of the blue color is in contrast to its attractive green inserts; while black interventions have been harmoniously inserted as part of the color palette and create an appealing interplay of color references.

Tapes, pullers and chains provide new unexpected visual inputs to the collection. The garments reproduce an iceberg effect with a laser system, their texture reminiscent of the snake skin. Among the new innovations include the Metal 3H zip which is the smallest and most innovative in the collection, lightweight and with a streamlined design. The collection also features a zip made of synthetic fur and incorporated buttons, whose cover can be removed and then reapplied, to face polar temperatures with a touch of glamour.

Luxury apparel retailer Olivela has raised $35 million in a Series A funding round, led by Morgan Stanley & Co. International. The retailer plans to use the new funds to expand its business both digitally and physically. This expansion will help Olivela find and partner with more charitable organisations in the U.S. and around the world.

The new funding will be used to fuel Olivela’s new campaign for the quarter called ‘Women’s Empowerment.’ The campaign includes a trip to Jordan where Boyd will meet with 30 young women who were sent to school from Olivela’s donations last year, as well as 100 more who will go to school next year thanks to purchases on Olivela.com and in store.

Olivela plans to open additional boutiques this year with the funding, but it is ramping up its focus on the holidays. The merchant did 90 times the number of transactions in December 2018 than in January 2019. It now looks forward to expanded offerings and brands this season.

Denim mills are tapping into social media influencers’ vast and information-seeking audiences through collaborations, special products and as a vehicle to share their messages about sustainability and innovation. Mills are recognising the power and the influence of the social media and the people who manage accounts. By partnering with an influencer, the supply chain is able to reach more people and tap into specific areas of expertise, knowledge and interest. Influencers have become a go-between from the mill and the producer to the consumer.

Mills are representing themselves more as a brand. And as a result, they’re looking for ways to reach the end consumer to feed them with information about the ingredients and processes that go into the jeans they purchase. The new way of advertising is through influencers.

Kelly Harrington, a textile consultant and social media influencer, teamed with Ukraine-based denim label Ksenia Schnaider to help promote the sustainable story behind its avant-garde denim designs, such as its signature asymmetrical jean. In her Instagram post, Harrington showcases the brand’s cropped jean jacket and frayed shorts with a caption that describes Ksenia Schnaider’s experimental designs. For Harrington, promoting Ksenia Schnaider’s collection on Instagram was an authentic choice. It’s a brand she wears and loves.

M&J Group’s leading facility Genesis aims to explore new business possibilities in China through innovative and sustainable developments, showing the interconnections between quality production and a truly responsible approach, one that must also become socially conscious.

The main long-term goal of the company remains to reach a “near zero” input of fresh water in the process, contributing to manage this precious resource at its best.

It has also decided to set up a Mini Fire Brigade Station in its campus in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Fire Service and Civil Defence of Bangladesh.

The company recently obtained two prestigious LEED Platinum certifications and was granted the LEED Earth certificate for its washing facility in June 2019. This washing facility recycles 50 per cent of treated effluent from WWTP/ETP (Wastewater Treatment Plant). The treated effluent is recycled directly in the garment washing process, thereby reducing fresh water requirement by 50 per cent. This improvement is important because it allows reductions in costs while keeping the garment price the same, saving lots of water as well.

Gap Inc's Old Navy brand plans to double its store count in North America as the apparel retailer readies itself to split from the parent company next year. The brand, which offers more affordable clothing and accessories, plans to open 860 stores in North America and focus on opening outlets in smaller markets and off-mall locations.

Old Navy, which recorded net sales of about $8 billion in 2018 and ended the year with 1,140 locations, said plans to reach more than $10 billion in annual sales by opening new stores. The brand’s plans to open these stores is a result of Gap and other brick-and-mortar players shutting underperforming locations bowing to pressure from online sellers, fast-fashion retailers and ever-changing consumer trends.

The brand also plans to focus on the denim category besides improving its margins. It expects $400 million to $450 million in one-time separation expenses and $300 million to $350 million in capital-related costs between 2019 and 2021.

To be held in Germany from January 7 to 10, 2020, Heimtextil will attract new participants from Europe and overseas. .

Overall, some 3,000 exhibitors are expected to take part in this exhibition. International manufacturers rely on Heimtextil as an attractive platform for export business and as a trendsetting launch event where they can present their new season products at the start of the year.

The exhibition will exhibit products by around 250 international textile designers. Manufacturers of machines for digital printing and textile processing will present their innovations. The trade fair will also present furnishing solutions and specialist offers specifically aimed at contract furnishing. It offers interior designers, architects and hospitality experts a business and networking forum. The exhibition has a lot to offer for interior designers and international furnishers. There will be curtains, decorative fabrics, carpets, interior sun protection and decorative systems, as well as new collections.

Around 140 companies, including start-ups and top international players, will present textile innovations for the bedroom. The section on fashion and home sectors will also see illustrious names from the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden. The exhibition will also see high-end home textiles producers from Asia.

Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) is expanding its network of cooperation partners and brands to include Hugo Boss. This partnership will enable the premium-segment fashion brand to develop a series of new products that will hit the shelves next spring.

Comprising around half of all material used by Hugo Boss, cotton plays a significant role for the German fashion company, which has committed to source 50 percent of its cotton from sustainable production by 2020 and 90 percent by 2025.

Cotton made in Africa operates on the principle that partnering retailers and brands pay a licence fee for every product bearing the CmiA label. Income from these licensing fees is reinvested in its African project which is used to train cotton farmers in sustainable cultivation methods and basic business administration. This enables farmers to improve their water and soil management. At the same time, the use of genetically-modified seeds and the deforestation of primary forests are prohibited.

Around one million smallholder farmers in eleven countries are currently participating in the initiative, through which their cotton is sold to more than 40 international textile companies and brands, including Cortefiel, OTTO, or Asos.

The brand has launched the first release from its new eco tights collection featuring its classic Polka Dot Tight and the bestselling Over-the-Knee Tight. It’s an important initiative, for which the brand chose the cutting-edge recycled yarn by Fulgar.

Canadian brand Rachel is known for its tights collection featuring printed tights and colorful tights. The brand makes apparels for women who want to feel beautiful, comfortable and feminine every day, with an accessible and essential wardrobe accessory. Based in Italy, the brand produces innovative, sustainable manmade fibers. Its green portfolio is growing all the time, and the Q-Nova fiber is the first specialty developed by the company in this field. This eco-sustainable fiber makes a company’s production processes more sustainable, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions and water use. Q-Nova is made exclusively from raw materials regenerated through a mechanical process that takes place without the use of chemicals that could compromise the sustainability of the end product. More and more international brands are choosing Fulgar fibers to make eco-sustainable products.

Rachel’s partnership with Fulgar has resulted in two eco-friendly tights styles. Rachel is the only Canadian company to offer the option of sustainable tights.